The Duchess of Manicure

Confessions of a mani-holic. My phone autocorrects the word ‘man’ to ‘mani’.

But when you think about it, the two words have much in common. It can be easy to fall
in love with both of them. The perfect one is often elusive. And, when we are in the mood,
umm, we like them nude.

Actually, the main difference is that while it is likely that we find the ‘perfect’ man for
life, the perfect manicure will vary for the rest of our lives, depending on season, outfit,
occasion, accessories, hair colour, skin tone, and, oh, the ever changing mood.

I’m not snob, really. Some people see me as the Shoe Snob. Sometimes, I’m the Watch Snob.
Other times, they call me the Bag Snob. But I think of myself as the Duchess, as every woman
should. I don’t believe that we just ought to enjoy the fine things in life. That’s a given.
I believe we should know how to enjoy the fine things in life.

Choosing Darjeeling or Ceylon to go with cheesecakes, matching the leathers and metals on your
body, and, of course, picking the right hues or shades on your fingers so they fall within the
colour harmony wheel on your outfit… these are some of the things that make life so much better.

Perhaps I’m a Nail Snob after all… 🙂

Rule Number 1:

Remember that your nails are only a small part of your body. They serve as accents. In cuisine,
they would be the appetizer and not the main course, in bed, they would be the foreplay and not
the sex. It’s so terribly important but it’s so hard to explain to so many people.

Rule Number 2:

Therefore, remember that your nails are part of a bigger piece of art in the larger scheme of
things, that being, the rest of your body. Outwardly, they should match, complement, or contrast
tastefully what you are carrying or wearing, bag, shoes, dress or accessories. At a higher level,
you can choose them to complement the season, your mood, the occasion etc. It sounds complex,
yes. It really isn’t if you follow this blog.

Great! But good luck finding a One Piece outfit to match this.

Rule Number 3:

Understand that it’s not just manicure. It is a sense of women empowerment. Dressing our nails is
one of the few things that are exclusive to us. Whether it is just a coat of colour, intricate art,
or rhinestone or 3D sculpture embellishments, it is an ultimate form of feminine expression, of mood,
of occasion, and most importantly, of identity. Making the right choices will bring out eloquently
who or what you are, before words can even begin expression.

Really, there isn’t a sadder sight than a fellow woman poring helplessly over swatches through
hundreds of colours with nary a concern for occasion or outfit. Remember this: you see nails. People see you. Plan for the bigger picture.

In short, make sure the manicure matches the self. You wouldn’t dip your salmon sashimi in curry sauce
now would you?